


What's in the Box?

by cunning_monkey



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Avengers, F/M, Fluff, Gift Fic, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 04:43:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2256291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cunning_monkey/pseuds/cunning_monkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy gets a surprise from a friend.  Too bad there are witnesses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's in the Box?

**Author's Note:**

> Much needed fluff during this crazy time.

“Miss Lewis, a package has arrived for you. Shall I have it delivered to your quarters?”

“No, thanks, JARVIS. I’m heading to the main kitchen. Can you have it delivered there instead?”

“Of course, Miss. Lewis.”

Darcy tried to remember what she ordered, but was coming up empty. Hoping it wasn't another drunken, late night infomercial, ‘I gotta have one’ deal, she continued towards the communal kitchen. 

She scheduled herself a day off during the week for no real reason other than she wanted one. What’s the point of finally get paid vacation days if you’re not going to take one every now and then? Darcy had accumulated nearly a month off already and decided to dole them out on a whim since there wasn't any real vacation plans in her near future. 

Thanks to her careful planning, she figured she’d be alone to cook up a fabulous meal in the middle of the day with no one bothering her or asking for their share, not that she could make a meal just for herself anymore. She looked forward to not having anyone bother her while she cooked, a culinary respite. 

Of course, things never go as planned and there was Clint, sitting at the bar top, reading a magazine of some sort.

“Aren't you needed somewhere? Baddie grabbing or poisoning your arrows or something?”

“Nah, I just order them nowadays.”

“I really hope you’re kidding.”

The doors opened revealing a large box being carried by some undoubtedly low level Stark employee. 

“Darcy Lewis?”

“Yep, that’s me. Just put it on the table there. Do I need to sign or anything?”

“It’s been signed for already. And scanned. And logged.”

“Figures. Anything good?”

Rather than replying, he turned and walked out. _Rude._

“Wha’cha got there, Cupcake?” Darcy gave Clint her death stare. “Maker. Cupcake maker.”

“Nice save, and I don’t know.”

“It says it’s from a donkey.”

Darcy started giggling and ran to the package. “Oh, she’s a donkey all right. It’s my bestie from….”

“From?”

Ignoring him, Darcy grabbed a knife and cut through the tape. As she opened the box and took a peek inside, she quickly closed the flaps and tried to quickly re-tape before trying to lift the box and make a break for it. Unfortunately, the plan didn't work as it was rather large and quite heavy. “Damn!”

“Hey! What are you doing? Aren't you going to open it?”

“Nope. Later. Definitely not right now.”

“Why? What’s in it? Porn? Is it porn? Oh, are there toys?” Making a play to grab at the box, Darcy quickly shifted it away from Clint, but pushed it too far and it went tumbling off the table.

Darcy hid her eyes behind her hands as the flood of embarrassment washed over her. She could already hear Clint laughing. Actually, it was really more a guffaw and that was unacceptable.

“Shut up and help me put this away before someone comes in!”

“Oh no, Darcy - you've got some ‘splaining to do. What the hell is all of this? Wait, do I see Hulk lips?”

“I’m going to kill her. Murder. Stab. Hide the body.” Darcy got down on her hands and knees and started trying to put the items back so she could take it away from any other prying eyes. It was a box full of Avengers toys, trinkets, and… oh god, she had included so much more of the Hulk than was explainable to a normal person. 

“What are you doing? Who are you texting?”

“Everyone.” 

“Why would you do that? You’re evil.”

“Move, I want to see what else is in here. Are there any cool Hawkeye figures?” Clint started going through the box only to find himself more and more curious. “Hey, how come there’s so much Hulk crap in here? Other than the team Avengers junk they sell, anything specific is Hulk related. Is your friend obsessed with him or something?”

“Or something…” Darcy whispered, exasperated. “Just help me put it away before he sees it.”

“Who? Bruce?” Darcy couldn't stop her face from reddening. Like a lobster she was turning. “Seriously, Darce? Bruce?”

“What about Bruce?” Of course Tony would be the first one to join them. “Avengers Assemble: In the kitchen? This better be important because I was in the middle of watching my drowning goldfish.” 

Tony picked up a Hulk mask from the floor, “Oh, kinky. someone wanting to role play?”

“Give me that!” Darcy yelled, grabbing the mask and sticking it back in the box. 

Looking to Clint for more information, Clint just shook his head. “You got me. This box of Avengers stuff came in for Darcy and she started freaking out. Although, if you look closely, there’s a pretty heavy concentration of Hulk memorabilia. I was just getting Ms. Secrecy here to divulge.”

“This is classic. Who sent you this?”

“Someone who will cease to exist when I get my hands on her.”

“Didn't you sign your life away in NDAs? Why does somebody seem to know about your affiliation with the Avengers?”

“I didn't tell her, she’s just… intuitive.”

“I think she’s intuiting that you may have a fondness for Hulk.” Tony laughed.

“Not Hulk. Exactly.” A rock. A rock would be a wonderful place for Darcy to hide. Only until forever.

“Oh, she caught on to your crush on Banner, huh?”

“What? I don’t…”

“Save it, Lewis. I’m pretty sure it’s common knowledge. Well, to everyone but Professor Oblivious, that is. Funny how you don’t seem to notice that it goes both ways. _Or does it?”_

“I’m dead, right? That’s what’s happened? I've died and gone to hell.”

“Here’s the card.” Clint reached out holding a folded note card, Darcy grabbed it and started reading.

_Dearest Darcy Elizabeth,_

_Don’t think all of your deflecting about your current job did you any good. One more minute of your gushing about your latest crush on this ‘brilliant physicist’ in New York who ‘has some anger issues’ and I was going to have to jump through the phone and smack you for thinking me too stupid to figure it out. Subtle, you’re not (and your mailing address isn't exactly private information). But I adore you anyway. I also found a goldmine of goodies at my local toy store and couldn't help myself. Since you don’t seem to have the courage to lay out your feelings for your hulking crush, I thought I’d send you some trinkets to have on hand while you spend your nights pining for the man. Maybe he’ll see one and get a clue. (Although from the sound of it, you guys spend a lot of time together already - coffee runs, lunch, after work drinks -- are you sure he doesn't feel the same way about you?) Good luck to you and you’ll thank me one day._

_Love you,  
Your favorite Donkey_

“You know I can read lips, right?” Clint asked from behind the Hulk mask and pointing with one of the soft foam-like Hulk hands he’d apparently found in the box.

“Dammit, Clint! This isn't funny!”

“Of course it’s funny, you couldn't get any redder.” Tony started in again, just as the door swung open.

“Is everything okay, I got your text and…” Steve stopped talking mid-sentence and tried to assess the situation, clearly confused by what he saw.

Before anyone could answer, the door opened once more to reveal Bruce, glasses in hand and hair rumpled and flattened on one side as if he’d been sleeping. “Sorry I just got your message, I was taking a nap and are you… are you making fun of me?”

Clint threw the hands into the box and quickly pulled off the mask. “No, big guy. Of course not. It’s just… this box came in for Darcy and…”

“Clint!” Darcy hissed.

“Darcy?”

“Goddammit” Darcy whispered. “It wasn't supposed to be like this.”

As Darcy turned to face Bruce, out of the corner of her eye she could see the others retreating, making a slow bolt for the other door. Tony seemed to be pulling Steve out with him, though Steve remained completely in the dark. 

“I can explain.”

“You don’t have to. I’m not sure what this is about, but - umm… is that a Hulk PEZ dispenser?”

“Apparently it is.” She said, picking up the packaged candy and handing it to him.

“Someone sent you all this?” 

Darcy hoped she was pulling off a more relaxed demeanor now that Bruce seemed to be more curious than angry, but she couldn't do anything about the redness in her face. 

“Yeah, a former friend of mine…” Darcy waved the card around as she gestured with her hands. Realizing the card was open and directly at Bruce’s eye level, if only for a few seconds, Darcy immediately turned away and tried to focus on gathering any stray bits of stuff that still hadn't been put back into her box. She knew those eyes narrowing meant he had inadvertently read what she would have paid Tony’s millions to avoid him seeing.

Muttering curses under her breath, Darcy sighed heavily as she felt Bruce approach her from behind. She did not expect his hand to be so soft as he reached for her hand death gripping the box.

“Darcy, look at me. Please.”

She wanted to look, but couldn't find the courage. “Look. Bruce, it’s nothing.” She breathed, refusing to look up from the box. “Can we just pretend this never happened and go back to-”

He pulled her hand towards him, demanding her to face him. She still couldn't bring herself to look up at him.

“What if I don’t want things to go back to how they were?” The questioning gaze she shot at him resulted in him smiling broadly. “You are so oblivious sometimes.”

In her wildest dreams she wouldn't have expected the kiss that followed, but Darcy Lewis was no dummy; she went with it. In fact, she’s pretty sure her arms were around his neck and her body was pressed against his as soon as their lips connected. 

“Darcy.” Bruce didn't pull away far, just enough to look her in the eyes. “Would you like to go out to dinner with me? Er, I guess it’s technically a late lunch, but…”

Unable to hold herself back, Darcy couldn't stop from kissing him again. This time, his arms circled around her waist, and the kiss intensified. She was ready to-

“FRIENDS!” Thor’s booming voice broke them apart. “Am I too late? Oh, my apologies Lady Darcy and Scientist Banner, I thought there was a request for the Avengers here. Hey, is that a mini Mjolnir?”

Darcy’s facepalm was inevitable.


End file.
